The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-04-23
Cur 0liu.
WOLVES OF THE OCEAN.
Perils Met with In Hunt for MAN.
Eating Sharks.

The excitement of every sport is inten-
sifed by the presence Of danger, and in
this respect shark hunting commands a
foremost place. Experienced fishermen on
our Atlantic coast can recall terrible scenes
witnessed while sharking in deep water.
The shark is the inveterate enemy of
everything human, and when it gets its
prey at disadvantage there is little chance
of escape When wounded the shark will
often attack small boat and try to over
turn it by ferocious blows Of its tail. If
pursued too closely it will occasionally seize
the boat in its huge jaws and crush the
heavy planking like an egg-shell. Then, if
not killed in time, its enormous body
is often thrown bodily out of the water and
hurled with unresisting force against the
unfortunate craft, which will be either
crushed in or tipped over on its. side. The
result of such disaster can easily be i'm
agined. The daring hunters would sud
denly find themselves at the mercy of the
waves and their bloodthirsty enemy. Al
though wounded beyond recovery the fnny
monster would, with its dying gasp, bury
its bloodstained teeth in the bodies of the
struggling fishermen. The great number
of sharks which inhabit the waters along
our coast make it an easy matter to fish for
them. Scarcely an ocean steamer or sail
ing vessel leaves our ports that is not fol-
lowed by one or more of the creatures,
ready to devour whatever may be thrown
overheard. The peculiar, cylindrical shape
of the shark adapts it both for great
strength and speed in the water. The
pectoral fins are moderately developed, and
serve both as guides and propellers. In
nearly every respect they answer the same
purpose for the shark that wings answer
for bird But the great tail Is the sharks
principal motive power and its instrument
of defence and attack. The immense
weapon is capable of delivering blows that
would crush the life out of an ordinary
animal, and the rapidity with which it Is
sometimes moved in the water, when the
creature is excited or wounded, causes great
waves to rock to and fro on the surface
like a miniature whirlpool.
A group of large sharks, when viewed
from the deck of an ocean steamer, is
most interesting sight Then the beauty
of the monsters can be fully appreciated
and the graceful actions of the younger
members of the sportive crowd admired
without fear. A piece of beef or pork
thrown into the water causes commotion
near the vessel that lends additional pleas
ure to the scene, and as the several dark
forms rush rapidly towards the floating
boat, you have fair opportunity of seeing
the ravenous creatures eating their meal.
If by accident one gets wounded in the
fight for the morsel of meat, battle royal
then occurs. The water is soon dyed to q
crimson color and the foam is lashed about
In furious manner. The wounded shark
makes bold stand for his life, but his
yoracious comrades throw themselves upon
the unfortunate member without ceremony,
and soon rend limb from limb, leaving
nothing but the bones behind, which the
sea-birds finally peck Clean For miles out
at sea such Eight can be seen, and the
noise created by the strong tails lashing
the water sounds like the wheels of fer
ryboat, only much louder. In these mid
ocean battles whole schools Of sharks are
often engaged, and before the fighting ends
dozen or more of the creatures have been
destroyed and the rest gorged with their
remains. When the appetite Of the school
is satisfied they become content and the
battle is stopped as if BY mutual assent.
Evidently the law of the survival of the
fittest is carried out vigorously among the
shark family, and 'smight makes right" ap-
pears to be their motto. The largest and
strongest can resist the attacks the longest
and make the weaker ones their prey.
These inhabitants of the deep have been
called, not inappropriately, "the wolves of
the ocean" Their habits and modes Of at
tack are very similar to our Western
wolves, and like them, they always travel
in focks or schools. When far from
the shore they become bolder in their ac-
tions, and will even venture to attack
small craft singly when hard pressed for
food. Bnt when confined in bay they
become shy and cowardly. The shallow
ness of the water frightens them, and they
shun the approach of man with as much
dread as do our Western wolves when
caught upon some open prairie in broad
daylight. But, if cornered and their life
threatened, they viii sometimes turn upon
their enemy with the ferceness Of despair,
and offer desperate battle.
HUNTING FOR SHARKS.
They frequent the bays and the waters
near the shore, however, in great numbers
at certain seasons of the year, as mid-ocean
offers a very poor feeding ground for them.
To appease their voracious appetites they
are compelled to be in constant activity,
and it requires bnt moment to gulp
several smaller fish down their huge